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Anonymous
Known by various names, such as Guest, Anonymous Coward, or Unregistered Contributor, Anonymous is the name given to any author or contributor whose name has been forgotten, lost, or not supplied. It is the name given to any poster on 4chan who does not fill in the "name" field, and is an inside joke on 4chan as well as the majority of the rest of the Internet. Anonymity is different from pseudonymity, and both concepts contrast with an authenticated identity. Anonymity is essential to the concept of free speech. Contributions *The majority of folk tales *Truly ancient works whose author has been lost in the course of time *From Issue 1: **At The Races: The Expanse (Ultra flash) *From Issue 2: **Ant on a Hill *From Issue 3: **Bedroom Talk Reasons for remaining anonymous While there are instances where the creator of a work is simply not known, there are several reasons why an individual may choose to contribute without a name: * The author wishes to contribute without being any further consequence, be it recognition, loss in reputation, fame, or retribution. * The content of the work is a secret, which makes the author a whistle-blower or some sort of insider. Large organizations such as governments and corporations are opposed to this kind of anonymity. * The author's intent is to incite controversy or drama. The former tend to use logic, while the latter tend to intentionally use logical fallacies. This kind of author frequently causes others to become upset. Laymen or individuals content with the current establishment are opposed to anonymity for this reason. * The content of the work is personally embarrassing, or self-incriminating; the position taken is outrageous. Without an identity, the author's reputation cannot be damaged and the author cannot be the target of retaliation. Individuals who claim others should be personally responsible for everything they say and do are opposed to anonymity for this reason. * The author is participating in the Anonymous Internet culture. Seen as disruptive and rude, it is usually thought of as being a negative aspect of the Internet, especially in cases where anonymous individuals have pressured others into self-harm or have caused harm to others. Contributing anonymously adds an element of mystique, especially if the work is useful or thought-provoking. This aspect can be manipulated by an author who contributes anonymously in a characteristic or identifiable manner and then reveals his or her identity. Because it is difficult to hold an anonymous author accountable, anonymity tends to remove social inhibitions and lead to useless and antisocial contribution. Anonymous as a group Obtaining anonymity is easy when authentication is difficult. Consequently, Anonymous is most often seen on the Internet rather than in real life. Although pseudonyms and anonymous contribution were always present on the Internet, the concept of Anonymous as a group started in 1999 on 2channel, and was later imported to the United States and the rest of the Internet-capable world. While it was not initially moot's intention to push for anonymity on 4chan, shii's short essay promoting anonymity on forums and the implementation of Forced Anonymous on /b/ in 2004 by W. T. Snacks1, combined with the popularity of 4chan itself, successfully imported 2channel's system of anonymous contribution. Since then, Anonymous has become rather notorious for causing chaos. The media is quick to grasp onto the romanticized concept of a legion of nameless faceless tough guys out to get somebody. External Links * [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymity Anonymity article on Wikipedia] * Shii's pro-anonymous short essay * The Anonymous article on Encyclopedia Dramatica is responsible for the quotes on this page, as well as inspiring some of the content, but the link itself is blacklisted. Category:Contributors